Extending pole and rotatable hanger for clothing appliance

ABSTRACT

An accessory for use with various types of handheld garment steamers that hang and maintain the garment in position during steaming comprises a modular pole  1  that can be adjusted in height and rotational position and that supports a hanger  8  and multiple clips  10, 11, 12, 13,  wherein the hanger  8  is rotatable relative to the pole  1.  By rotating the hanger  8  relative to the pole  1,  the garment can be re-positioned relative to an extension pole supporting the garment without first removing the garment.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application relates to and claims priority from U.S. Provisional Application 60/906172, file on Mar. 9, 2007.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to household appliances and, more particularly, to a handheld garment steamer with accessories for holding a garment to be steamed in various positions.

2. Description of Related Art

Various types of handheld garment steamer appliances exist for emitting steam under pressure from the nozzle of a handheld component to deliver steam under pressure from a nozzle in order to remove wrinkles from garments and other fabric articles such as drapes or curtains. Such devices emit steam produced from water that is heated within a boiler chamber of the appliance and released through nozzles or openings in a handheld component. Typically, such devices include accessories for hanging and maintaining position of the garment during steaming. These accessories include a vertically extending pole with a clothing hanger type attachment on top. A problem associated with such accessories is that a garment must be removed from the hanger attachment and re-positioned thereon in order to apply steam to a second side after steam is applied to a first side, since the vertical pole would otherwise be obstructing access to the second side.

OBJECTS OF THE PRESENT INVENTION

It is an object of the present invention to provide an accessory for use with various types of handheld garment steamers that hang and maintain the garment in position during steaming, and that allow the garment to be re-positioned relative to an extension pole supporting the garment without first removing the garment.

These and other objects are achieved by the present invention.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE PRESENT INVENTION

According to the present invention, an accessory for use with various types of handheld garment steamers that hang and maintain the garment in position during steaming comprises a modular pole that can be adjusted in height and rotational position and that supports a hanger and multiple clips, wherein the hanger is rotatable relative to the pole. By rotating the hanger relative to the pole, the garment can be re-positioned relative to an extension pole supporting the garment without first removing the garment.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a front view of an appliance accessory according to a first preferred embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a rear view of an appliance accessory according to a first preferred embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a front view of a set of accessories for use with an appliance according to the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION

According to the present invention, pole 1 is adapted to be attached to a portable garment steamer (not shown) of a type conventionally known. The pole 1 has an attachment adapter 2 at its lower end, a first component 3 the telescopically receives a second component 4, a locking clamp 5 for securing the second component 4 relative to the first component 3, an adjustable mounting clamp 6 for adjustably mounting a cross bar 7 to said first component 3, and a hanger attachment 8 for hanging an article of clothing to which steam can be applied. A collar lock 9 is provided to secure the mounting clamp 6 and thus the cross bar 7 in a desired position relative to the first component 3. A first pair of clips 10, 11 are provided on the cross bar 7 for clipping and holding a garment. A second pair of clips 12, 13 are provided on a cross bar 14 of the hanger 8 to secure and hold a garment. A sleeve 15 on the lower section of the hanger 8 is received over the end of the second component 4 to secure the hanger 8 to the second component 4. Each of the first and second components and the hanger may be selectively assembled and disassembled for convenient storage and portability.

In use, the pole 1 is attached at its adapter 2 to the base of a steamer appliance (not shown). The first and second components 3, 4 are assembled with the hanger 8 positioned on the second component 4. The end of the second component 4 and the inside of the sleeve 15 may be indexed with splines or other features that will allow indexing of relative rotational positions, but that will allow relative locking also. A shirt like garment may be simply hanged over the hanger 8 and clipped by one or more of the clips 10, 11, 12, 13. After one side of the garment is steamed, the user can simply rotate the hanger 8 and the lower cross bar 7 (if its clips 10, 11 are engaged with the garment) relative to the pole 1 in order to steam the second side of the garment. Pants or articles of fabric that cannot be hanged over the hanger 8 can be suspended by attaching one or more of the clips 10. 11. 12. 13 to maintain the pants or articles in place. For example, applying all four clips at the same time allow an article to be stretched between the cross bars 7, 14.

A conventional hose 16 and steam emitting head 17 are shown in FIG. 3 for use with the type of garment steamer with which the present invention may be used. Various attachments 18 may be employed for removing lint, for creasing folds, and for other uses.

While the preferred embodiment has been disclosed, various modification can be made without departing from the scope of the present invention. 

1. A garment hanger assembly attachment for attachment to and use with an appliance, said hanger assembly comprising a first rod; a second rod telescopically received in said first rod; a locking mechanism for securing said first rod and said second rod relatively to each other at a selected combined length to form a single rod assembly of a selected length; an attachment member for attaching said rod assembly to an appliance; and a coat hanger pivotally attached to said first rod and adapted to pivot about said first rod.
 2. An assembly according to claim 1, further comprising a cross bar attached to and arranged perpendicular to said second rod, said cross bar having at least one sliding clip assembly mounted thereon and adapted to be slidingly located along said cross bar and adapted to selectively clip to a garment suspended from said coat hanger. 